SWAINE, THE UK’S OLDEST LUXURY GOODS BRAND, OPENS NEW BOND STREET STORE
Swaine, the UK’s oldest luxury goods brand, opens a new flagship on New Bond Street as the centrepiece of its most radical rebrand in 273 years.
Swaine, a fixture of London’s luxury goods landscape since 1750, is embarking on the biggest bricks and mortar venture in its history as part of its wider brand refresh.
After trading from premises in St James’s for almost three centuries, Swaine left the district in 2022, opening a boutique in Mayfair’s Burlington Arcade, with the aim of later establishing a new flagship store to better serve the needs of a future-facing heritage brand and its clientele.
The newly opened flagship at 126-127, New Bond Street, will complement the existing Burlington Arcade boutique. The 7,000 sq.ft. space is the largest store in the brand’s history and will showcase its growing product offering in an environment that mirrors its new creative direction. To design the flagship, Swaine enlisted the services of architectural firms Malherbe Paris and Atelier Architecture and Design, which have created concept spaces for LVMH, Harrods and the Victoria & Albert Museum.
Housed in a handsome 19th-century building, the flagship consists of a ground floor and mezzanine level, displaying Swaine’s full complement of men’s and women’s leather goods and luggage alongside Herbert Johnson hats and Brigg umbrellas – both brands of the Swaine family. The ‘Rain Room’ is a focal point; the space, hung with Perspex column ‘icicles’ that create an abstract impression of rain, displays the handmade umbrella range. There are also dedicated areas for private appointments and bespoke services, as well as a museum, charting the brand’s extensive pedigree. A separate, lower ground floor is set to open in the future. “The flagship will not only showcase the full range of luxury products, but is where each customer, new or connoisseur, will be able to fully engage with the spirit of Swaine through an immersive brand experience”, says Carine de Koenigswarter, Chairman and CEO, Swaine.
Workshops for both Swaine leather goods and Herbert Johnson hats is located above the store, where leather artisans and hatters will handcraft bespoke orders for clients and the UK armed forces. It continues the brand’s long tradition of manufacturing in the heart of the capital, setting a new standard of workmanship in London’s most prestigious retail district. “Having a workshop in the store is unique and reflects the direct relationship that Swaine wishes to build between the craftsman and the customer, allowing clients the opportunity to admire the meticulous work of the artisans on their bespoke piece”, explains de Koenigswarter.
Swaine’s flagship store is located at 126-127, New Bond Street, W1S 1DZ.
